Union Minister Defends Transparency in Grain Storage Tendering

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi defended the transparent, online tendering process for grain storage capacity enhancement. Addressing the Lok Sabha, he responded to concerns from TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay about food storage sufficiency and private sector involvement in FCI godowns, highlighting that such systems have also been adopted by states governed by INDIA bloc parties.

Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Prahlad Joshi has defended the transparent, online tendering process for enhancing grain storage capacity, a system that several states governed by INDIA bloc parties have adopted.

In a Lok Sabha session, Joshi addressed the concerns raised by TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay regarding the sufficiency of the storage capacity at Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns and the involvement of a private firm in the sector.

Responding to these questions, Joshi clarified that the storage capacity is currently 837.68 lakh metric tons (LMT) with 650-700 LMT typically stored, assuring that there is no shortage. He emphasized the transparency of the tendering system and mentioned that multiple contracts were awarded through this process in different states, dismissing opposition allegations as baseless.